Bread slice coating applicator

ABSTRACT

An applicator for automatically applying a coating of butter, mayonnaise, or other relatively soft material on slices of bread which are carried in sequence by a conveyor belt under the applicator. The applicator includes a perforated applicator cylinder having an internal screw conveyor which distributes the coating material, supplied from a reservoir, along the external surface of the applicator cylinder. An adjustable doctor blade removes excess coating material from the applicator cylinder. The applicator cylinder turns in opposite direction to the movement of the bread so that the coating material is wiped from the surface of the applicator cylinder. The width of the perforated portion of the applicator cylinder is less than the width of the bread and the applicator cylinder is movable to and from the bread in timed relation to the movement of the bread so that the coating terminates short of the edges of the bread to form a coating free margin.

United States Patent 1191 Pond [54] BREAD SLICE COATING APPLICATOR [76]Inventor: John E. Pond, l7238 Barneston,

Granada Hills, Calif. 91344 22 F116d1 March 12,1971 21 Appl.No.: 123,607

52 U.S.Cl. ..ll8/13, ll8/247,118/261 51 lnt.Cl ..B05c 1/02 581FieldofSearch ..l07/lB,1F;118/24,25,l3, 118/247, 259, 261

[ 1 Jan. 16, 1973 Primary Examiner-John P. Mclntosh Att0meyLy0n & Lyon57 ABSTRACT An applicator forautomatically applying a coating of butter,mayonnaise, or other relatively soft material on slices of bread whichare carried in sequence by a conveyor belt under the applicator. Theapplicator includes a perforated applicator cylinder having an internalscrew conveyor which distributes the coating material, supplied from areservoir, along the external surface of the applicator cylinder. Anadjustable doctor blade removes excess coating material from theapplicator cylinder. The applicator cylinder turns in opposite directionto the movement of the bread so that the coating material is wiped fromthe surface of the applicator cylinder. The width of the perforatedportion of the applicator cylinder is less than the width of the breadand the applicator cylinder is movable to and from the bread in timedrelation to the movement of the bread so that the coating terminatesshort of the edges of the bread to form a coating free margin.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJMIG I975 3.710.754

SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR Joy/v5 Po/VD 7 m Fig. 8 W

BREAD SLICE COATING APPLICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION peanut butteror other coating on either or both bread slices. This is done with aknife or spatula. The amount of material applied varies substantially,not only from sandwich to sandwich, but also between persons performingthe sandwich making operations. Also, some of the coating is wasted onthe edges of the bread, creating thefurther problem in that theresulting sandwich may be messy to handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to anapparatus for automating the step of coating bread slices and issummarized in the following objects:

First, 'to provide a bread slice coating applicator which is automaticaswell as rapid in operation, and which is arranged to apply a coatingof uniform thickness in such a manner as to provide an uncoated marginof predetermined width around the periphery of the bread slice, therebyminimizing waste of coating material and ensuring a neat and attractivesandwich.

Second, to provide a bread slice coating applicator, wherein the coatingmaterial is extruded radially from a cylindrical applicator having asurface offering minimal bond to the coating material whereby on wipingthe applicator against the surface of a bread slice, the coating adheresto the bread and strips from the applicator.

Third, to provide a bread slice coating applicator, whichincludes arotatable cylindrical coating member having a plurality of extrusionopenings uniformly distributed about its periphery; the coating membersurrounding a control sleeve having openings occupying a predeterminedportion of its periphery so that extrusion from the coating member isrestricted to a corresponding portion of its periphery; the timing ofthe coating member with respect to the movement of bread past thecoating member is such that extrusion does not occur in the regionpresented to the bread thereby ensuring a uniform coating.

Fourth, to provide a bread slice coating applicator, wherein the breadslice is raised into engagement with the applicator cylinder and loweredtherefrom to control the region of coating applied longitudinally of thedirection of travel, and they width of the extrusion area determines thewidth of the coating area.

Fifth, to provide a bread slice coating applicator, wherein thethickness of the coating may be adjusted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary side view, showingthe bread conveyor and the means for raising and lowering the conveyorfor the purpose of applying a coating to a slice of bread.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken through 2-2 ofFIG. 1, showing the drive mechanism for raising and lowering the breadslices.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view thereof, taken from 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary partial sectional, partial side view,showing the coating applicator mechanism, the section being takenthrough 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken through5-5 of FIG. 4, showing the manner in which the coating or spreadablematerial is extruded from the applicator member, the parts being in theposition assumed between the coating operation.

FIG. 6 is a similar but more restricted fragmentary sectional view,showing the coating cylinder when first contacted by a slice of bread.

FIG. 7 is a similar fragmentary sectional view, showing the applicatoras it completes its coating operation. FIG. 8 is a similar view, showingthe applicator clearing a slice of bread upon completion of the coatingoperation.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a slice of bread andadjacent portions of the conveyor belt.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the coating or applicatorcylinder.

shaft 6 and a helical blade 7. One end of the shaft 6 protrudes from oneend of the base portion 3 and is connected through suitable drive gears8 ma powersource, not shown.

The opposite end of the base portion 3 is provided with an openingsurrounding the screw conveyor 5 from which extends a horizontalmounting collar 9. The mounting collar receives a cylindrical sleeve 10,the extended end of which is provided with a bearing disk I 1, arrangedto receive a conical end bearing 12 provided at the corresponding end ofthe shaft 6.As it is desirable to maintain the spreadable material at aproper temperature to permit spreading of the material onto a slice ofbread, the tubular shaft 6 and the surrounding material may be heated bymeans of a heating fluid supplied througha tube 13 provided within thetubular shaft 6.

The sleeve 10 is fixed against rotation and mounted thereon is anapplicator cylinder 14, one end of which abuts the mounting collar 9,and the other, or extended end of which is provided with a closure 15which is connected to a drive shaft 16 connected to a driving means, notshown.

Positioned under the applicator cylinder 14 is a conveyor belt 17,supported by end rollers, one end roller 18 of which is shown, andsuitable conventional idler rollers 19. The rollers are supported byframework 20, indicated fragmentarily. The conveyor belt 17 and the endroller 18 are provided, respectively, with driving and timing slots andsprocket teeth, not shown, so that the timing of the conveyor belt 17may be controlled.

The conveyor belt 17 is provided with sets of spaced cleats 21, adaptedto engage bread slices 22. The dimensions of the bread slices arepredetermined; that is, they are of uniform thickness as well as uniformwidth and length. Preferably, the bread slices are square. They aredeposited on the conveyor belt 17 by suitable mechanism, not shown, insuch a manner as to occupy a predetermined position with respect to theedges of the belt. Each slice is engaged by a set of cleats 21, and arespaced by the cleats a predetermined distance.

Under the region below the applicator cylinder 14 and a distance eitherside thereof, approximating twice the length of the bread slice 22, is apositioning plate 23, which is supported from the framework 4, or otherframework, by a set of linkages 24. The linkages are pivotally connectedto the framework and to the corners of the positioning plate 23 so thatas the linkages are tilted the positioning plate 23 is raised orlowered. The positioning plate 23 engages the upper reach of the belt 17so as to-raise a slice of bread positioned thereover into contact withthe applicator cylinder 14, or to retract the bread slice from theapplicator cylinder.

The applicator cylinder is provided with a zone of extrusion slots 25equally spaced around the periphery of the applicator cylinder. Theaxial extent of the extrusion slots is slightly less than the width ofthe bread slice. The sleeve is provided with a set of longitudinallyextending extrusion slots 26, occupying approximately a 90 portion ofthe entire sleeve, so that 3/4 of the perimeter of the sleeve is solid;that is, without extrusion slots. The inner surface of the applicatorcylinder is enlarged to form an annular space 27 overlying the slots 26.The axial extent of the space is greater than the zone occupied by theslots 25 and is intended to receive spreadable material from within thesleeve 10. Inorderto minimize escape of the material from the ends ofthe annular space 27, the ends of the applicator cylinder 14 may beprovided with helical end channels 28 of opposite pitch.

The direction of rotation of the applicator cylinder 14 is opposite fromthe direction of movement of the bread slice, as indicated by the arrowsin FIG. 5. The extrusion slots 26 in the sleeve are rotated along theupwardly moving side of the applicator cylinder 14. Located at the upperportion of the downward moving side of the applicator cylinder is adoctor blade 29, forming the leading edge of a semi-cylindrical channelmember 30. The channel member is supported by one or more brackets 31 toa pivot mounting 32 so that the doctor blade 29 may be moved forward oraway from the surface of the applicator cylinder 14, so that thespreading material 33 may be trimmed to a predetermined thickness. Theexcess spreading material is carried by a screw conveyor 34, operatingin the channel member 30, to a suitable collector, not shown. From timeto time, the collected material is returned to the reservoir 1.

In order to move the bread slices 22 to and from the applicator cylinder14, the positioning plate 23 is raised and lowered. This is accomplishedby an operating lever 35, attached to one of the linkages 24. Theoperating lever 35 is connected by a linkage 36, urged in one directionby a spring 37, and joined at its opposite end to a slide bar 38mounted-in guideways 39. The slide bar is provided with a slot 40, whichreceives a cam follower mounting block 41, adjustably positioned in theslot 40 by means of a screw 42.

The mounting block 41 carries a cam follower wheel 43, which engages amain cam disk 44, having a raised cam portion 45. Secured to the maincam disk 44 is an adjustable cam disk 46, also provided with a raisedportion 47. The cam disk 46 is adjustable circumferentially so as tovary the combined extent of the raised portions 45 and 47 The cam disksare driven by a shaft 48, connected by a conventional chain or geardrive with the applicator cylinder 14. The conveyor belt is alsoconnected by a conventional chain or gear drive to the applicatorcylinder 14 so that the bread slices may be raised and lowered in timedrelation with the rotation of the applicator cylinder.

Operation of the bread slice coating applicator is as follows:

The bread slices 22 are moved at a constant speed on the conveyor belt17 and in predetermined spaced relation. Normally, the position of thepositioning plate 23 is such that the bread slices clear the applicatorcylinder 14. When the leading edge of a slice of bread passes under theapplicator cylinder 14, it is raised into contact with the applicatorcylinder. The timing is such that actual contact is made at a pointinwardly from the leading edge of the slice of bread, as indicated inFIG. 6. As the slice of bread travels forwardly, the applicator cylinder14 rotates in the opposite direction so that its surface wipes on thesurface of the bread slice in the manner that a butter knife appliesbutter to a slice of bread; that is, the surface of the applicatorcylinder 14 between the extrusion slots 25 spreads the spreadingmaterial 33 on the slice of bread. Essentially all of the spreadingmaterial which has protruded beyond the surface of the applicatorcylinder is wiped onto the bread.

Whenthe trailing edge of the slice of bread approaches the bottom of theapplicator cylinder, the

positioning plate 23 lowers the bread, asindicated by.

comparison with FIGS. 7 and 8. The timing is such that the trailingmargin of the slice of bread is free of any coating.

. In the upwardly moving region of the applicator cylinder, thespreading material is extruded from the interior of the sleeve 10through the extrusion slots 26 into the space 27, from which it isfurther extruded through the slots 25. The spreading material flowsradially from the slots 25 and increases in thickness on the surface ofthe applicator cylinder. Virtually all of the extrusion operation takesplace in the upwardly traveling region of the applicator cylinder, asindicated in FIG. 5, and after passing beyond the slots 26, theprotruding depth of the spreading material 33 tends to remain constant.If the feed rate determined by the screw conveyor 5 is preciselyadjusted, then the protruding height of the spreading material 33 may besuch that the doctor blade 29 is not needed. However, more preciseprojection of the spreading material may be attained by use of thedoctor blade. It is desirable, of course, to adjust the operation sothat only a minimal amount of spreading material 33 is removed tominimize the amount of the material collected and returned to thereservoir 1.

It is preferred to construct the applicator cylinder 14 of a plastichaving a low coefficient of friction. An example of such material iscarbon tetrafluoride, known commercially as Teflon.

It will be noted that the zone occupied by the slots 25 is slightly lessthan the width of the bread slice so that the side margins may be freeof the spreading material 33. By proper adjustment of the earns 44 and46, the leading margins and trailing margins may also be free ofspreading material, yet the spreading material is uniformly distributedover the remaining portion of the bread slices. It is highly desirablethat the margins of the bread slices be free of any coating, as it aidsmaterially in the further handling of the bread slices, particularly byautomatic means, in the course of producing a completed sandwich.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of theconstruction set forth, but instead, the invention embraces suchchanges, modifications and equivalents of the various parts and theirrelationships as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for applying spreadable material to bread slices,comprising:

a. a rotatable cylindrical applicator member having extrusionperforations uniformly distributed about its cylindrical surfacecorresponding in length to one dimension of a bread slice;

b. means for forcing a spreadable material through the perforationsuntil protruding from the surface of the applicator member;

0. means for passing a slice of bread in tangential relation to and inwiping contact with the applicator member to transfer the. spreadablematerial from the surface of the applicator member to the surface of thebread;

d. means within the applicator member for restricting extrusion of thespreadable material to a predetermined fixed arc, whereby the spreadablematerial remains in as essentially constant protruding condition withrespect to the applicator member throughout a complementary fixed arc;

. and means for effecting relative radial movement of the bread sliceand applicator member to bring thebread'slice. into contact with thespreadable material while in its constant protruding condition.

. An apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein:

. the width of the extrusion perforations are less than the width of thebread slice to leave uncoated the side margins of the bread;

b. and the means for effecting relative movement of the bread slice andapplicator member is timed with respect to the tangential movement ofthe bread slice to initiate mutual engagement inwardly from one end ofthe bread slice, and to tenninate mutual engagement short of the otherend of the bread slice to leave uncoated the end margins of the breadslice.

3. An apparatus, as defined in claim 1, which further comprises:

a. a doctor blade operable in the region wherein the spreading materialis in its essentially constant protruding condition to limit theprotruding depth of the spreading material;

b. and means for removing excess spreading material the space betweenthe sleeve and cylinder and thereupon for extrusion through theperforations in the applicator cylinder for protrusion from the surfacethereof, the protrusion depth of the spreadable material tendingtoremain constant throughout that portion of the applicator cylinderconfronting the solid portion of the sleeve;

. a conveyor for passing slices of bread in sequence past the applicatorcylinder in opposite direction to the direction of movement of theapplicator cylinder;

. a plate larger than the bread slices disposed under the. conveyorbelt;

f. means for non-tiltably raising bread slices into tangent contactrelation with the surface of the applicator cylinder for wiping theupper surface of the bread against the protruding spreadable materialthereby to effect a uniform spreading of the spreadable material on thesurface of the bread.

. An apparatus, as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the width of the perforated zone of the applicator cylinder is less thanthe width of each bread slice,

whereby the side margins of each bread slice passing the applicatorcylinder remains uncoated;

. the means for raising the bread slices effects initial contact of abread slice with the applicator cylinder inwardly of the leading edge ofthe bread slice passing the applicator cylinder, and terminates contactprior to the trailing edge passing the applicator cylinder whereby theleading and trailing margins of the bread slice remain uncoated.

6. An apparatus, as defined in claim 5, wherein:

a. a doctor blade severs the spreadable material I protruding from theapplicator cylinder in a region following the slotted portion of thesleeve to predetermine the thickness of the remaining spreadablematerial applied to the bread slices; Y

b. and meansis provided to remove the severedv spreadable material fromthe doctorblade for reuse.

' l i t

1. An Apparatus for applying spreadable material to bread slices,comprising: a. a rotatable cylindrical applicator member havingextrusion perforations uniformly distributed about its cylindricalsurface corresponding in length to one dimension of a bread slice; b.means for forcing a spreadable material through the perforations untilprotruding from the surface of the applicator member; c. means forpassing a slice of bread in tangential relation to and in wiping contactwith the applicator member to transfer the spreadable material from thesurface of the applicator member to the surface of the bread; d. meanswithin the applicator member for restricting extrusion of the spreadablematerial to a predetermined fixed arc, whereby the spreadable materialremains in as essentially constant protruding condition with respect tothe applicator member throughout a complementary fixed arc; e. and meansfor effecting relative radial movement of the bread slice and applicatormember to bring the bread slice into contact with the spreadablematerial while in its constant protruding condition.
 2. An apparatus, asdefined in claim 1, wherein: a. the width of the extrusion perforationsare less than the width of the bread slice to leave uncoated the sidemargins of the bread; b. and the means for effecting relative movementof the bread slice and applicator member is timed with respect to thetangential movement of the bread slice to initiate mutual engagementinwardly from one end of the bread slice, and to terminate mutualengagement short of the other end of the bread slice to leave uncoatedthe end margins of the bread slice.
 3. An apparatus, as defined in claim1, which further comprises: a. a doctor blade operable in the regionwherein the spreading material is in its essentially constant protrudingcondition to limit the protruding depth of the spreading material; b.and means for removing excess spreading material severed by the doctorblade.
 4. An apparatus for applying spreadable material to bread slices,comprising: a. a fixed horizontal cylindrical sleeve closed at one endand having radially directed extrusion slots occupying a selectedportion of its periphery, the complementary portion of the sleeve beingsolid; b. a rotatable applicator cylinder journalled in concentricspaced relation to the sleeve and including a uniformly perforated zoneconfronting the sleeve; c. means for forcing a spreadable material intothe sleeve for extrusion through the sleeve slots into the space betweenthe sleeve and cylinder and thereupon for extrusion through theperforations in the applicator cylinder for protrusion from the surfacethereof, the protrusion depth of the spreadable material tending toremain constant throughout that portion of the applicator cylinderconfronting the solid portion of the sleeve; d. a conveyor for passingslices of bread in sequence past the applicator cylinder in oppositedirection to the direction of movement of the applicator cylinder; e. aplate larger than the bread slices disposed under the conveyor belt; f.means for non-tiltably raising bread slices into tangent contactrelation with the surface of the applicator cylinder for wiping theupper surface of the bread against the protruding spreadable materialthereby to effect a uniform spreading of the spreadable material on thesurface of the bread.
 5. An apparatus, as defined in claim 4, wherein:a. the width of the perforated zone of the applicator cylinder is lessthan the width of each bread slice, whereby the side margins of eachbread slice passing the applicator cylinder remains uncoated; b. themeans for raising the bread slices effects initial contact of a breadslice with the applicator cylinder inwardly of the leading edge of thebread slice passing the applicator cylinder, and terminates contactprior to the trailing edge passing the applicator cylinder whereby theleading and trailing margins of the bread sLice remain uncoated.
 6. Anapparatus, as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. a doctor blade severs thespreadable material protruding from the applicator cylinder in a regionfollowing the slotted portion of the sleeve to predetermine thethickness of the remaining spreadable material applied to the breadslices; b. and means is provided to remove the severed spreadablematerial from the doctor blade for reuse.